Class 10 English Chapter 1 Question Answers - First Flight

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What are the raindrops compared to and why?
Ans: Raindrops are compared to new coins – ten-cent and five cent pieces. It is because they promised a good harvest and as such good money.

Q2: How was Lencho sure that it was going to rain?
Ans: Lencho knew his fields intimately and he could predict the weather by looking at the sky. His experienced eyes saw clouds and he predicted rain.

Q3: What promised a good harvest?
Ans: Lencho felt that the field of ripe corn dotted with flowers always promised a good harvest. That is why he was anticipating a good harvest.

Q4: How did Lencho’s prediction about rain come true?
Ans: Lencho had looked towards the north-east and remarked that they would get some water. His prediction came true when it started raining in the evening.

Q5: Why did Lencho go out?
Ans: Lencho was eagerly awaiting for the rain which could be good for his crops. So he went out to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body.

Q6: How did Lencho regard his field? Why?
Ans: When it started raining Lencho regarded his field with satisfaction. He was happy to see his crop draped in a curtain of rain. He hoped to reap a good harvest.

Q7: “It’s really getting bad now.” What was getting bad and how?
Ans: Lencho was happy when it started raining. But the rain and the weather were getting bad. A strong wind was blowing and hailstones were falling.

Q8: Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sorrow?
Ans: The hail and hailstones rained on the valley for an hour. It had left the field totally covered with snow. The crop was completely destroyed. It made Lencho’s soul filled with sorrow.

Q9: Why was the family not really upset?
Ans: Though Lencho’s family was facing ruin, yet they were not really upset. It was because having immense faith in God, they were confident that God would help them.

Q10: Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho’s first letter addressed to God?
Ans: The postmaster “was a generous and amiable man. He was impressed by Lencho’s firm faith in God. To sustain that faith, the postmaster sent a reply to Lencho.

Long Answer Type
Q1: What was Leneho’s pride and possession?
Ans: Lencho lived in the solitary house on the crest of a low hill in the valley. From here, he could survey and see the river and his pride, the field of ripe corn dotted with flowers. These always promised a good harvest.
Their only wish was a downpour and Lencho, who knew his fields intimately, predicted rain. His prediction turned true when it started raining during dinner. He went out to feel the rain and surveyed with satisfaction, his crop draped in a curtain of rain. He regarded rain drops as a new silver coins.

Q2: Bring out Lencho’s immense faith in God.
Ans: Lencho wanted some rain for his crop. The ripe corn stood proud in the field and promised a good harvest. Rain came, as he predicted but turned to hail and ruined his crop. Lencho’s heart was filled with sorrow. But he did not lose heart. He had firm belief in God.
He wrote a letter to God, asking him to send 100 pesos so that he could sow his field again. He dropped ‘ the letter in the mail. The postmaster read the letter addressed to ‘God’ and to preserve theman’s faith in God, he raised 70 pesos and sent them to Lencho.
Lencho could not believe that God had made a mistake. He wrote again asking God to send the rest of the money, but not through mail. He believed that the post office employees were ‘a bunch of crooks’.

Q3: How was Lencho’s crop destroyed? How did he ask God for help?
OR
How did the hailstones affect Lencho’s field? What was Lencho’s only hope?
Ans: Being a farmer, Lencho was completely dependent upon the crops of his field. Once a heavy downpour occurred. Along with rain large hailstones also started falling. As a result the field turned white as if it had been covered with salt all over. His annual crop was completely destroyed.
Even there was not a single flower left on the plants. In the entire village there was no one to help him in the lurch. Being a firm believer in God, he turned to the Almighty for the help. He wrote a letter requesting him to send 100 pesos so that he might sow his fields again till the next crop comes. He had a belief that God would certainly help him with the money.

Q4: “I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.” In the light of this statement describe Lencho’s character.
Ans: As soon as the postmaster received and read the letter written by Lencho to God, he expressed his feelings in the words by referring Lencho’s faith in God. Lencho, the writer of the letter was a simple farmer. He had a firm belief in God. Once, when his crop was destroyed by hailstones, he turned to God for help.
He wrote a letter believing that God would not leave them to die of hunger and starvation. When he received a packet full of money, he was not the least surprised. Being simple in mind and generous by soul, he never knew that some generous soul had sent him the money in the name of God.

Q5: As the postmaster, write how you felt when Lencho accused you and your men of stealing money. Comment.
Ans: I was shocked and discouraged at the first sight when I grabbed the letter of complaint from Lencho in which he accused me and my employees of stealing money. I could not expect such kind of a treatment. Although I had involved every man in my office in that generous work, yet Lencho regarded us as a bunch of crooks.
This man proved very ungrateful. I was so downcast that I decided not to send the rest of the money. If I did so he would be convinced that we had already cheated him. In the name of God we should let him suffer and face the situation boldly. I pray to God to have pity on him.

Q6: Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Ans: Lencho was a hardworking, simple farmer. He had sown a field of com and was waiting for rains. His joy knew no bounds when it started raining. He expected^ good harvest. But his joy turned to sorrow when rain gave way to hail. After an hour, the field of golden corn was covered with snow. The crop was totally destroyed. Lencho faced ruin. The year seemed bad without any food. This simple, god-fearing man had immense faith in the Almighty. He wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to sow his field again.

Q7: What did the postmaster need to answer the letter? How did he collect it? How did Lencho react to the help?
OR
How did post office employees help Lencho? How did Lencho react to their help?
Ans: The postmaster needed something more than ink and paper to answer the letter. He needed 100 pesos. He gave up a part of his salary and asked all other employees to help. Even friends were made to contribute for a cause of charity. Thus, he managed to collect 70 pesos. Lencho wasn’t surprised to receive the letter. But he was angry to receive 70 pesos instead of 100. He didn’t doubt God, such was his confidence. So he wrote another letter to God asking him to send the rest of the money. He warned him not to send it through the post office because those people were a ‘bunch of crooks’.

Q8: How do you think the postmaster felt when he received Lencho’s second letter? What do you think he did?
Ans: The postmaster must have felt shocked and let-down. The contentment, which he had felt when Lencho had taken the letter, would have been replaced by consternation. All his generosity and desire to maintain Lencho’s faith had been wasted.
Yet, I believe, he must also have been amused at Lencho’s unshakeable faith in God. He must have made greater effort to collect the rest of the money. He would have sent a letter along with the money, saying that the postal employees were not a ‘bunch of crooks’.

Q9: If you had been Lencho, and this incident would have happened with you, what would have you done? Describe your feelings in simple words.
OR
We are faced with difficult situations at some points of time in life. God’s help comes to our rescue then. But God helps those who help themselves. Comment.
Ans: If I had been Lencho and this incident would have happened with me, the way of solving my problem would have been different. I am quite familiar with the realities of the world. I know that God cannot receive any letter by the post and neither can God help me directly. “God only helps those who help themselves.”
I would have tried to search another work for some time so that I could survive and feed my family. Then
I would have tried to save some amount to sow my field again.

Q10: Think about the statement:
“Faith can move mountains.” Do you think that this feeling had been in Lencho’s mind and so he could have been able to write a letter to God? Throw light on his feelings.
Ans: Without any doubt, I can say that this statement has a great importance. This statement can give a great strength to anyone who is about to fall deep down in earth, reason may be different. According to me, this is true that Lencho has deep faith in God. Because of his faith in God, he wrote a letter to God. When he got seventy pesos, once again he wrote a letter to God to get the remaining amount. So we can say that his feelings for God were very powerful.